Developer was warned to avoid Lawlor

ONE of the country’s wealthiest developers was warned to avoid getting the late TD Liam Lawlor involved in his business, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.

Cork businessman Owen O’Callaghan admitted he had been advised by councillors and political lobbyist Frank Dunlop that he could forget about getting projects off the ground if it became public knowledge that he had any dealings with Mr Lawlor.

The developer said he picked up information that quite a lot of politicians would oppose a development if they became aware that the controversial Dublin West TD had some involvement with it.

Mr O’Callaghan, a self- confessed Fianna Fáil supporter, said he believed there was a lot of division within Dublin County Council, especially among Fianna Fáil members, in relation to their support for Mr Lawlor.

“We didn’t want to tie ourselves to Liam Lawlor. That’s basically what it’s all about,” he said.

Mr O’Callaghan — in his first appearance at Dublin Castle since July 2004 — has admitted paying £1.8m to Mr Dunlop, as well as making political contributions to councillors, TDs and political parties.

However, he vehemently rejected allegations by Mr Gilmartin that he paid bribes to politicians, including £80,000 to former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern or that he was aware that Mr Dunlop had made corrupt payments to councillors in Dublin.

He agreed with the evidence of Mr Dunlop that on one occasion they were concerned that they had been seen in Mr Lawlor’s company in a restaurant by a senior Fianna Fáil politician.

However, the developer strongly rejected an allegation that he was once asked for £50,000 by Fianna Fáil TD Michael Mulcahy in relation to a development at Cooldrinagh in west Dublin.

Mr Dunlop told tribunal lawyers during a private interview that Mr O’Callaghan told him that he was asked for the money by Mr Mulcahy who was both a barrister and councillor at the time.

Mr Dunlop said he had no evidence about the matter apart from being told it anecdotally by the developer: “I’m just telling you what O’Callaghan told me yonks ago.”

Asked yesterday if he made such a claim to Mr Dunlop, Mr O’Callaghan replied: “Absolutely not.”

After being invited to explain Mr Dunlop’s possible source for the allegation, he remarked: “I simply can’t. From my point of view, it’s a ridiculous statement.”

He also denied an allegation by Mr Gilmartin that he paid £50,000 to former EU commissioner Ray MacSharry in Cork in December 1988.